An Update from the Search Committee

Dear Family and Friends of the Neighborhood Church,

We’re now into the 6th month of our time of Intentional Interim Ministry, and I am simply loving our time together. Thank you for your positive and prayerful support, encouragement, and participation. I hope you’re enjoying it too! I thought it might be a good time to update where we are at, where we are going, and what and when you can expect things to be happening along the way through our process.

We had almost 90 individuals participate in our Listening Sessions. Much was shared and learned there, as well as new acquaintances made. Your Transition Team is analyzing and interpreting the findings, as well as moving further with the conversations had there. A report and summary of findings from those get-togethers will be offered soon.

This crackerjack team will also be exploring ideas, suggestions to be considered, and will help in the development of the online survey. This confidential online survey should be available sometime early in December, and each individual will be invited to get online and take it.  This survey will dive deeper and in more detail into your thoughts, preferences, and opinions about our life together and the pastoral candidate that will eventually be called to serve at TNC. For those who do not do computers or do not have access to one, hard copies of the same will be available and members of the Transition Team will input them online for you so that ALL can be included in the findings.

In the meantime, your Search Committee is hard at work developing the Congregational Profile that will eventually be used in the posting of the open position of Senior Minister. They meet almost every 2 weeks, and their writing work comes to an end once the findings from the survey are in and shared with the entire congregation. The job description for the position will be developed as well in the New Year.

All of this comes together at least right after Easter (beginning of April 2024) and results in the churchwide (UCC) posting of the open position. Candidates will submit resumes and paperwork to be considered in the weeks following.

I expect that by the end of June, the Search Committee will have determined who it is they’d like to explore further and begin to interview the candidates. The first round will likely be online, with a usual 2nd and 3rd round to follow in person and on site with those the Committee chooses to move further with. There could be some visits at various sites should the Committee choose to do so. I expect that the initial round of interviews will be completed before the end of summer.

If all goes well, sometime in October of 2024, we will have experienced the clarity and work of the Holy Spirit among us, voted as a congregation and issued a call. Plans will be underway at that point for the beginning of the next chapter at the Neighborhood Church. The plan is to have our new Senior Minister among us by Advent (December) of 2024.

That’s the update! Pray with me that God will continue to bless our time together, and that we remain open to the Spirit’s prompting and leading us through this process.

In the meantime, signs of life and activity are happening all around us. I hope to see you around the place as you are able…

Pastor Rick
Intentional Interim Minister